Novartis' experimental heart drug pelacarsen fails pivotal Phase 3 trial

Novartis announced that its experimental cardiovascular therapy, pelacarsen, did not meet its primary endpoints in the Phase 3 HORIZON trial. The study compared the drug to placebo and found no reduction in cardiovascular death, heart attacks, or strokes.

Pelacarsen had previously shown the ability to dramatically lower lipoprotein(a) levels, a biomarker linked to higher heart disease risk. Despite the promising biomarker data, the trial results indicate that lowering Lp(a) alone did not translate into clinical benefit.

The failure is a setback for Novartis and for the broader effort to develop treatments targeting Lp(a). Other companies, including Amgen and Eli Lilly, are also pursuing similar approaches, and the outcome may influence ongoing research and investment in this area.